Spacecraft Assembly

The High-Gain Antenna

February 22, 2008

The LAMP instrument arrived Monday. We performed the incoming inspection and check-out. LAMP is in good shape, ready for integration. The High-Gain Antenna arrived, and we integrated the S-band feed and performed some alignment checks. Now we are measuring the RF beam in the anechoic chamber. In the Orbiter White Room, we are cleaning up the last of some details before next week's assembly of the -y and -z panels around the propulsion module.

Mike Young and Dave Slater check out the LAMP instrument after delivery to Goddard Space Flight Center.

High-Gain Antenna in the anechoic chamber. The cones on the wall absorb radio waves, preventing reflections that would corrupt the measurements of the antenna performance. The red cover on the central feed supports a mirror-covered cube that we use for alignment measurements. The cover will be removed before flight.

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